Anchorage Families' Adoption Plans Threatened by New Russian Ban

Four local families have been working with Catholic Social Services to adopt Russian children

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By Bill McAllister
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Story Created: Dec 28, 2012 at 5:46 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Dec 28, 2012 at 6:10 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - An Anchorage family's pending adoption of a Russian toddler has been jeopardized by a law approved by the Russian Parliament and signed by President Vladimir Putin banning such adoptions by Americans.

Catholic Social Services, which has an international adoption program, has been working with four local families on adoptions of Russian children.

In one case, the prospective parents already have traveled to Russia and met the child they want to adopt.

"It’s a very emotional topic for them, as you can imagine, and for us at Catholic Social Services,” said Ellen Krsnak, director of community relations for the organization. “And that is my understanding, that they are continuing to have hope. We don't know how it's going to be implemented, but it's a grave concern.

“Adoption, a successful international adoption, can have such a profound effect on a child's life, versus being raised in an orphanage. We know that it's all the child development studies, we know how important that first five years of life is, to be nurtured, to be loved, for emotional development, physical development. And children are in orphanages that are denied that parental care, that parental love and support. So it's a grave concern for the world that this is happening today."

The prospective parents of the Russian toddler apparently have not been told the adoption has been canceled, and they are waiting to see how the new law is implemented.

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Adoptions indeed... said on Saturday, Dec 29 at 6:46 PM

well may be Russia found out how Paylin and Captain Zero embezzled a trust fund worth a trillion dollars now...dang darn that internet...even MTA can't control what goes out there...as stalking as it may be...in the name of money...it's God's Will Skarah?

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